Rockford man sentenced to federal prison term on gun charges

ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison on gun charges.

48-year-old Duane Fisher pleaded guilty back in October to possession of a firearm by a felon. Fisher had been convicted on federal charges of possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine in 2001, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon in state court in 2015. He was also convicted last year of harassment and assault causing bodily injury in 2018.

In March of last year, law enforcement found a vehicle registered to Fisher’s girlfriend with a loaded rifle inside, but no occupants, in rural Rockford. Fisher was found hiding in the woods in the area and claimed to be looking for deer antlers.

At his plea hearing, Fisher admitted possessing the rifle. Fisher was sentenced on Wednesday in US District Court in Cedar Rapids to 15 months in prison followed by a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.